Cybersecurity

What is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity refers to the technologies and practices used to protect systems, networks, applications, and data from online attacks. Cybersecurity works by detecting and then stopping hackers from accessing, corrupting, or destroying sensitive information.

Cybersecurity threats include phishing and ransomware attacks in which criminals attempt to extort money by disrupting normal business operations.

Core cybersecurity tools include firewalls, anti-virus software, and multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Table of Contents Table of Contents

1. What is Cybersecurity?
2. Key Takeaways
3. Key Elements of Cybersecurity
4. Types of Cybersecurity Threats
5. The Role of Cybersecurity Frameworks
6. The Importance of Security Audits
7. Cybersecurity Attack Vectors
8. Cybersecurity Management Tools
9. 6 Tips to Improve Cybersecurity
10. Cybersecurity Awareness Training
11. Popular IT Security Certifications
12. Cybersecurity Best Practices
13. Cybersecurity Challenges
14. The Bottom Line
15. FAQs
16. References

Show Full Guide

Table of Contents

1. What is Cybersecurity?
2. Key Takeaways
3. Key Elements of Cybersecurity
Show Full Guide
4. Types of Cybersecurity Threats
5. The Role of Cybersecurity Frameworks
6. The Importance of Security Audits
7. Cybersecurity Attack Vectors
8. Cybersecurity Management Tools
9. 6 Tips to Improve Cybersecurity
10. Cybersecurity Awareness Training
11. Popular IT Security Certifications
12. Cybersecurity Best Practices
13. Cybersecurity Challenges
14. The Bottom Line
15. FAQs
16. References

Key Elements of Cybersecurity

The key elements of cybersecurity include:

• Risk assessment
• Endpoint security
• Disaster recovery planning
• Incident response
• Threat intelligence
• Regulatory compliance

Types of Cybersecurity Threats

The list of potential cybersecurity threats is long and frequently changes as threat actors develop new tools and techniques to break into systems.

Examples include:

• Phishing and social engineering
• Malware
• Ransomware
• Keystroke logging
• Denial of service (DoS) attacks
• Zero-day exploits
• Supply chain attacks

The Role of Cybersecurity Frameworks

Cybersecurity frameworks like the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the US and CAF in the UK give organizations a set of minimum standards and practices.

The aim is to help them understand, manage, and mitigate cybersecurity risk and better protect systems and data, regardless of size.

What is the NIST Cybersecurity Framework?

NIST is the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. As a Federal Agency it’s developed a voluntary set of guidelines and best practices that businesses can follow to improve information security and manage cybersecurity risk.

The NIST Cybersecurity Framework groups cybersecurity standards in five areas: identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover.

The Importance of Security Audits

Security audits are systematic evaluations of information systems, networks, and IT infrastructure. They are usually conducted by external cybersecurity professionals who use different tools and techniques to assess the strength of an organization’s security posture.

A positive audit affirms that a business is complying with regulatory rules, protecting customer data, and managing risk. Audits also help security teams identify potential weaknesses and address them.

Cybersecurity Attack Vectors

Attack vectors (sometimes called threat vectors) are the methods cybercriminals use to gain entry to a network. Common attack vectors include social engineering and phishing, credential theft, exploiting software vulnerabilities, and taking advantage of insider threats.

Closing off attack vectors whenever possible is one way to describe cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity Management Tools

Key cybersecurity management tools include:

• Firewalls
• Antivirus software
• Encryption
• Security incident and event management (SIEM)
• Packet sniffers
• Network monitoring

6 Tips to Improve Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Awareness Training

One of the challenging things about cybersecurity is the difficulty of ensuring best practices at the end user level. Employees who neglect cybersecurity rules and processes are sometimes called insider threats.

They can be an organization’s biggest source of vulnerability. Cybersecurity awareness training aims to keep cyber risks top of mind and ensure that staff are able to spot potential threats and report them quickly.

Popular IT Security Certifications

• Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate
• Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
• CompTIA Security+

Cybersecurity Job Titles

Cybersecurity job titles include senior roles like Chief Security Officer (CSO) and Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), mid-level roles like security systems administrator, specialist roles like digital forensic examiner, and entry-level roles like information security specialist.

Cybersecurity Best Practices

Cybersecurity Challenges

Cybersecurity can be one of the most stressful technology roles due to the sheer number of challenges cyber professionals must grapple with.

These include:

The Bottom Line

Cybersecurity, by definition, aims to stop cyber attacks – ultimately before a full breach of systems of data or networks has occurred.

In today’s hyper-connected digital economy, cybersecurity has become vital to an organization’s success. It protects a business’s key information assets and keeps online services safe from malicious attacks.

It safeguards sensitive personal and commercial data, including healthcare information, financial and credit information, patents, and intellectual property (IP).

FAQs